3 ms·

Is there any reason the NSA can't open snail mail?

• slowmotiony 13y ago
  They can, but the recipent will see that the package has been opened? It's pretty obvious.
  • ancarda 13y ago
    Oh that's so obvious I didn't even think of that.
  • hnal943 13y ago
    Depends on how badly they want to conceal the information. There's a whole discipline around opening documents covertly (flaps and seals).
• sparkman55 13y ago
  There are a number of US laws that protect mail / post explicitly, and don't explicitly protect email. See this article on the matter: http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/data_mine_1/2013/06/nsa_surveillance_why_the_post_office_doesn_t_spy_on_your_mail_the_way_nsa.html http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/data_mine_1/2013/06... One of the laws in question: http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/18/I/83/1708 http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/uscode/18/I/83/1708
• fnordfnordfnord 13y ago
  They probably don't have to for most mail. I posted this yesterday in the Jimmy Carter's mail discussion thread. tl;dr It isn't difficult (at least in principle) to read mail through the envelope. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7456157 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7456157